The present invention generally relates to display arrangements and, more particularly, pertains to a support system for a merchandise display panel to be included in a combined display arrangement.
Many types of merchandise are best marketed by placing the products in a position clearly visible to the potential purchaser. Frequently, displays use slatwall to provide an array of horizontally extending grooves that receive product support hardware, such as, brackets, hangers, posts and the like as well as combinations of the same with shelves or trays. Products may be packaged in transparent plastic containers or bags to allow a purchaser to visually inspect the same when displayed with the use of such a slatwall system.
The slatwall horizontal grooves may have a cross-section of T-shape, L-shape or C-shape. In such arrangements, the grooves typically include at least one groove opening extending to the front wall. The front wall is dimensioned to cooperate with the support portion of the product support hardware to provide cantilevered support of the latter. By custom, the front wall of the groove has a thickness of about xc2xcxe2x80x3, standard product support hardware is dimensioned and shaped to engage the same in order to provide cantilevered support.
Slatwall may be formed of medium density fiberboard (MDF), high density particle board (HDP), plywood and other wood-like sheet materials. The slatwall is typically provided in modular form comprising panels having a 4 foot width, an 8 foot length and a xc2xe inch thickness, but other modular sizes and thicknesses may be used. Modular panels of other area sizes may be used with thicknesses ranging from xc2xc inch to ⅝ inch. Reinforcing and/or decorative metal or plastic inserts may be disposed in the slatwall grooves.
The front wall or exposed slatwall face may be decorated or customized through surface applications including paint, high and low-pressure laminates, transfer foils, wood veneers and the like. The metal or plastic groove inserts may provide a color contrast with the slatwall face.
The rather permanent and non-dimensional decoration or customizing of slatwall is not entirely satisfactory or sufficient to comply with modern retailing and advertising display concepts. Slatwall does not readily lend itself to significant alteration or temporary variations of its visual appearance without substantial replacement of the modular components of the installation or parts thereof.
The display of product with conventional support or mounting hardware has been limited substantially to individual product support sites. Mounting hardware brackets including multiple hanger sites and even shelves are of a unitary product display nature as compared with the slatwall display capability in its entirety.
In accordance with the invention, a support system is used to removably mount a merchandise display panel to a support surface such as the front face of an underlying wall such as a larger size merchandise display wall. The display panel may be an aesthetic decoration or customizing element in the combined display arrangement, or it may serve to display product using the same or different types of openings as compared with the underlying wall.
The display panel is mounted to the underlying wall by support members that are constructed for connection with the same openings that are used to mount product for display. In this manner, the support members may be mounted at selected locations on the underlying wall.
In an illustrated slatwall installation, the display panel is removably mounted to the slatwall by a mounting rail engaging a panel mounting member or element. In turn, the mounting rail is removably mounted in a slatwall groove. In the mounted position, the mounting rail together with the display panel are movable relative to the slatwall.
The illustrated mounting rail comprises a metal extrusion having a Y-shape cross-section. The opposed legs of the Y provide the rail with first and second mounting legs extending in opposite transverse directions from a support leg corresponding with the stem of the Y. The rail is used in a horizontal or xe2x80x9claying-overxe2x80x9d position with the mounting legs engaging the slatwall groove, and the support leg projecting from the front face of the slatwall to engage the display panel. The rear face of the display panel includes a rail engagement member. For example, the support leg end may be engaged in a kerf in the rear face of the display panel.
In another illustrated embodiment, a plurality of display panels are mounted in a stacked group. More particularly, a second display panel is mounted to a first display panel to cover the front face of the latter in whole or in part.
In another embodiment, an elongate shelf assembly enables the overlying display panels to spaced by greater distances, e.g., up to about six or seven inches. To that end, the shelf is supported by gussets arranged to work against the front face of the underlying wall.
In yet another embodiment, display panels may be mounted to a wire grid wall. In this arrangement, the support member comprises an assembly of hanging brackets connected by an elongated hook that engages the display panel over a significant portion of the panel length.